The 2012 Vikings roster thread (Small News, Discussion of players on the team(2)

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Vikings WR Stephen Burton, a seventh-round pick last year, has "flashed quite a bit" during OTAs, catching coach Leslie Frazier's attention.
"You can see the confidence and that's a big thing for a receiver," Frazier said. "He has tremendous athletic ability and he is one of those guys who can jump out of the gym and make the acrobatic catch." We'd like to see Burton carry that performance over to training camp before expecting more than a special teams role for 2012.

rotoworld

Obviously the Arkansas boys will probably receive preference over him, but I hope we can carry Burton onto the active roster. I wonder if Arceneaux still has eligibility for the PS?

WE TRUST V4LB!!! HE IS THE GREATEST GUY IN OUR FOURM.
WITHOUT HIM OUR FOURM WOULDNT BE EXCITING.
HE GETS ALL THE WOMEN!!!!
HE IS NEVER WRONG!!!
WE TRIED TO VOTE FOR HIM FOR PRESIDENT BUT HE IS SO GREAT THAT HE WOULDNT RUN FOR OFFICE

Vikings WR Stephen Burton worked with the first-team offense in Percy Harvin's absence on Wednesday.
Burton is focusing on the Z, or flanker, position. That's where Michael Jenkins figures to line up in three-wide sets, but Burton will get an opportunity to beat both he and Devin Aromashodu out for a roster spot. The Vikings took a chance on Burton in the seventh round last season due to his combination of size (6'1/224) and speed (4.44).

rotoworld

I'm getting pretty interested in this guy. I'm excited to see how he performs when they put the pads on but so far it looks like he is making some pretty big strides to get on the field next year. The more weapons for Ponder the better.

I'm getting pretty interested in this guy. I'm excited to see how he performs when they put the pads on but so far it looks like he is making some pretty big strides to get on the field next year. The more weapons for Ponder the better.

From what I recall from last year, Burton did a decent job last year even though his playing time was limited. Hopefully he gets better and learns the playbook well.

From what I recall from last year, Burton did a decent job last year even though his playing time was limited. Hopefully he gets better and learns the playbook well.

He was only in one game after Jenkins got hurt IIRC, he had 2 catches for 38 yards. I'd say that Burton is the team's favorite WR out of all the reserve guys (Kerry Taylor, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Bryan Walters, Kamar Jorden, A.J. Love) and it would be nice to see him pass Aromashodu, but I have my doubts. I still want to see Burton make the final roster as a backup WR. He had a horrible camp last year, but I think a lot of that could have had to do with the lock out and lack of OTAs. I would be quite happy if he developed along with Wright and Childs as a future contributor.

WE TRUST V4LB!!! HE IS THE GREATEST GUY IN OUR FOURM.
WITHOUT HIM OUR FOURM WOULDNT BE EXCITING.
HE GETS ALL THE WOMEN!!!!
HE IS NEVER WRONG!!!
WE TRIED TO VOTE FOR HIM FOR PRESIDENT BUT HE IS SO GREAT THAT HE WOULDNT RUN FOR OFFICE

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Kyle Rudolph has watched what Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have done in New England. He has seen the Green Bay Packers utilize Jermichael Finley as a combination tight end and wide receiver. He also has broken down the tape of veteran standouts such as Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez.

And entering his second season, Rudolph has come to this conclusion: He wants to join this group of elite tight ends who have had a significant impact in the passing game. He wants to be one of Christian Ponder's primary targets.

"I've studied all the great ones," Rudolph said Tuesday following a practice that was part of the Vikings' Organized Team Activities at Winter Park. "I feel like I can do that same thing here. That's my approach everyday when I come out here is to be able to try to emulate some of the things they do in their route running and make plays in the pass game."

Ponder, also entering his second season, is excited about what offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave has come up with for Rudolph in the passing game.

"Bill's really tried to spread him out and get him out wide and create a lot of mismatches with him and he can do it," Ponder said. "He's got the speed and the hands and agility to do it. I think we're definitely working that way as we got more comfortable."

Ideally for Ponder, he can utilize Rudolph as a threat over the middle. That would help open up the field for speedy wide receivers like Jerome Simpson and Percy Harvin.

Among those expecting Rudolph to have that type of impact is ESPN.com, which lists Rudolph fourth on a list of 10 NFC breakout players for 2012.

Rudolph's reaction?

"I don't read anything good or bad," he said. "I understand you guys write stuff to get out to the fans. I'm a fan myself and they read that to feel like they're a part of the game and to get news and information.

"But for me, I just come out here every day focused on me getting better because I want to be the best tight end in the league, not just an emerging tight end. I come out here every day with that mindset."

Sage Rosenfels was happy to see the success his former New York Giants teammates had in making their run to a Super Bowl title last season, but there were moments when the quarterback did wonder what might have been if things had gone a bit differently.

One such instance occurred as Rosenfels watched Giants holder Steve Weatherford race across the field celebrating after kicker Lawrence Tynes' 31-yard field goal in overtime gave New York a 20-17 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game.

"It was difficult in the sense that I was rooting for them, but every game they won I was thinking to myself ... I could have been the holder in that championship game, because I was the holder, and I could have been Steve Weatherford running down the field and (saying), 'We're going to the Super Bowl,'" said Rosenfels, who is back for a second stint with the Minnesota Vikings.

Instead, Rosenfels finished last season as the third quarterback with the 3-13 Vikings. That put him back with the team that acquired him from the Houston Texans in February 2009 with the intention of having him compete with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job.

It also continued an interesting journey for Rosenfels.

He never did get that starting opportunity with the Vikings - Brett Favre's decision to end his retirement in 2009 put an end to that plan - and was traded to the Giants just before the 2010 season. Rosenfels served as the Giants' holder that year and before last season he expected the plan to remain the same.

"I was told on the Saturday before the cuts that I was on the team," Rosenfels said. "Then they found something in the MRI that concerned them and they put me on the injured reserve list."

The Giants did so because they discovered a blood infection Rosenfels got after having strep throat. Placing Rosenfels on injured reserve ended his season with the Giants.

In October it appeared he was healthy, so the Giants released him, enabling Rosenfels to pursue employment with another club. He signed with the Miami Dolphins and began practicing in the Florida heat.

That turned out to be a bad idea.

Rosenfels, 34, again did not feel well and doctors found he had mononucleosis. The Dolphins placed him on the reserve/non-football illness list in late October and he left the team. Miami ended up putting Rosenfels on waivers and shortly after the Vikings jettisoned Donovan McNabb from their roster in early December they claimed Rosenfels.

Meanwhile, Rosenfels could only watch as the Giants beat the New England Patriots, 21-17, in Super Bowl XLVI.

"Great group of guys," Rosenfels said of the Giants. "I still talk to them. I just talked to a couple of guys just (last week). It's difficult (to not have been part of it), but I don't have any regrets. I didn't do anything wrong. It's just that things happen in life that you can't always control and I just try to move on."

A different role

Rosenfels finds himself in a very different situation than he was during his first stint with the Vikings.

He signed a two-year, $2.9 million contract in March to remain in Minnesota, but this time there is a clear understanding that he won't be competing for the starting job. That spot belongs to Christian Ponder.

In fact, the assumption is that Ponder and Joe Webb both will enter training camp ahead of Rosenfels on the depth chart. Rosenfels, who says he's feeling fine these days, is now more of a mentor.

"It's been a pretty wild three-and-a-half years," he said. "When I got traded to New York, I really sort of felt that New York was going to be my last team I played for in my career. I was very satisfied with backing up Eli (Manning) as far as working with him and that team. With how the situation was here, I really didn't think I'd be back.

"But getting sick and all those things happening last year, I think it's probably good I made a good impression on people in this building. Coach (Leslie) Frazier, the front office, the way I dealt with a difficult situation in my first year here. I'm happy to be back. I always did like it here. Liked the city, liked the fans, liked the team and the organization.

"It's a place I never wanted to leave in the first place. I made that known at the time to the higher-ups that when Brett came back that second year I didn't want to go anywhere. But that's the way it worked out."

That was in large part because former coach Brad Childress and Rosenfels never seemed to see eye-to-eye on matters. Rick Spielman, who was promoted to Vikings general manager after last season, has long liked Rosenfels and likely never wanted to trade him.

Rosenfels, who has started 12 games in 11 seasons with Washington, Miami, Houston, the Vikings and the Giants, will have his hands full trying to stay sharp with limited reps available in practice.

"I guess just make the most of the reps that I get and be ready to play as much as the team needs me to play," he said when asked about his approach for 2012. "When you prepare in the offseason, physically and mentally, you prepare to play 16 games, whether you're the third quarterback or the first quarterback. I'll prepare like I'm a starter.

"I'm not expecting that to happen. But you never know what will happen in a preseason game with injuries or whatever happens. I'll prepare like I'm going to be a starter."

Helping Ponder

While Rosenfels might prepare as if he could be the starter, he also will be counted on to help Ponder in his development this season.

Entering his second season, Ponder will be expected to make significant strides from the guy who tossed 13 interceptions (to go along with 13 touchdowns) in 11 games (10 starts) last season.

"I try not to say too much to him, but maybe just a thing here or there," Rosenfels said when asked how much he tries to give Ponder advice. "He has an offensive coordinator, he has a quarterback's coach and he has a head coach. So I'm not one of his coaches. But there are certain times, there are certain things that over the years that I've seen that can help a player out that maybe I feel sometimes that is not always said.

"Very small things here and there. ... My job is to get ready to play and perform the best I can. But also my job is to be a team player and help him out. I definitely feel like I do that, but I don't want to overwhelm him because he's got enough voices talking to him."

Rosenfels also makes it clear that while Ponder can get advice from multiple sources, the real key is experience.

"It just takes reps," Rosenfels said. "First you've got to get really comfortable in practice. You just have to have a lot of reps to do that and the games you'll be a little bit more comfortable every time. Over the course of weeks into years you get more and more comfortable.

"I'm sure the veterans in the league that had 100 starts, they rarely think about the crowd or they rarely think about other things, because they are just so into the game. There is no real concern about all the other stuff. I think some young guys, they get concerned about all the other things that are going on that have no impact (on the game).

" ... The hurdle is probably just to clear your mind. The NFL is a whole different world that he grew up thinking about. There's all this sort of buildup and the key is just to go out there and do it and perform and not always worry about the consequences. I see him doing that in practice and at some point it's going to need to carry over to the games. That's all he has to do is just to go out there and actually just perform."

Rosenfels likes Ponder's athleticism, his arm, his smarts and the fact that he's eager to learn but adds, "it's up to him to use those things to his advantage. I do see him doing that. We'll see what happens as time goes on, but I'm optimistic when I see him. The way he works."

Rosenfels admits that Ponder can be a perfectionist and that can make life tough on a guy who plays a position where a short memory is essential.

"Sometimes I tell him, 'You just need to just hose it a little bit,'" Rosenfels said. "Sometimes he maybe tries to be too perfect with the throw and sometimes you just have to let it go. The corners are quick in this game, so you can't try to make the perfect pass. You'd rather sometimes have a little more juice on it. Those are the type of the things that I sometimes try to get across.

"You want to be as perfect as you can, especially individual stuff, but at the end of the day when the team stuff is going on, you have to just play because the game is not a perfect game."

Of course, that is easier said than done.

"It is. Because everything you do in the offseason and the beginning of practice is all about sort of being perfect, but once the team stuff goes on it sort of becomes mass chaos a little bit," Rosenfels said. "So it's hard to stick to your fundamentals, but yet you still have to play the game.

"It's not really like basketball where you always just play. There are different speeds. The early practice speed, there is the seven-on-seven speed, there is the practice team speed and then there is game speed. There's all these things that get a little more and more crazy as time goes on. You have to stick to your fundamentals but also realize there is a game going on, too."

I still really like Sage. In all likelihood if it wasn't for Favre coming in 09, he would have been our starting QB if we had any other HC and never should have been 3rd string. I can't say that he would have changed things for us if we hadn't traded him in 2010, but I really do think that our 2011 season could have been off to a much different start.

Since we didn't have a starting QB after Favre retired, Sage would have been the perfect bridge/caretaker QB to start the year off for Ponder, sort of the Anti-Donovan McNabb.

I'll always remember that 2010 pre-season game where he literally tore the Rams up and Chilly chewed him out for it.

WE TRUST V4LB!!! HE IS THE GREATEST GUY IN OUR FOURM.
WITHOUT HIM OUR FOURM WOULDNT BE EXCITING.
HE GETS ALL THE WOMEN!!!!
HE IS NEVER WRONG!!!
WE TRIED TO VOTE FOR HIM FOR PRESIDENT BUT HE IS SO GREAT THAT HE WOULDNT RUN FOR OFFICE

I thought this was pretty cool. Of the last 11 #1 high school prospects the Vikings have two of them on their team in Adrian and Percy.
3 of the prospects are still in college but Adrian and Percy are the only ones you can argue have been able to maintain a high level of success.

Vikings first-rounder Smith seeks starting job
Harrison Smith, taken with the 29th overall pick out of Notre Dame, finally started seeing first-team practice reps this past week with the Vikings.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — When the Minnesota Vikings traded back into the end of the first round of April's NFL draft to select Harrison Smith, it was widely believed the team had a certain starter at one of its two safety positions.

Minnesota gave up its early second-round pick and a fourth-round slot to ensure it wouldn't miss the change to acquire Smith. A day later, coach Leslie Frazier cautiously said Smith would be "penciled" into the starting lineup. Frazier wasn't marking anything in pen, but pencil was safe.

Yet, through two weeks of organized team activities, the safeties practicing with the first team were the same combination that ended last season. Smith, working with the second team, was behind Mistral Raymond and Jamarca Sanford.

Smith, taken with the 29th overall pick out of Notre Dame, finally started seeing first-team reps this past week. But it wasn't an ascension to the starting spot as much as it was the coaches trying to see which players work best together.

"That's exactly what we're trying to do," Frazier said. "Begin to rotate guys and match a little bit just to see how they would gel together. We'll continue to do it. We've got quite a bit of time before we get to that first game, but we're going to mix and see how guys work together and develop some chemistry in that secondary, and that's a part of what happened today."

There is a lot to work out before the season opener on Sept. 9. Will Smith be ready to start initially as a rookie. How much has Raymond improved in his second season? Can Sanford hold off the younger players and keep his starting spot? How will Robert Blanton, the fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame, do in his transition from cornerback to safety?

All of the questions will need to be answered, but Smith's role will certainly be the most scrutinized. He seemed the perfect fit for Minnesota, a versatile talent coming to a team in dire need of upgrades in the secondary. Smith is considered a strong tackler and also has the coverage ability to play deep in the Vikings' Cover-2 system.But the transition to the NFL is taking some time. Smith admits to making "plenty" of mistakes in the early going. He said he isn't concerned with who is lining up as the starter. And really, in June, the depth chart only serves as fodder and a look at who might be leading any potential competitions. So, Smith is worrying more about learning the defense than earning a starting spot.

"As an overview I feel pretty confident in the calls and stuff like that," Smith said. "It's the details that make you a good player, a great player. That's what I need to get better at. And then just learning formations better, learning what offenses like to do in certain situations, being a situational player. All that stuff adds up to being a great player."

Smith caught Frazier's attention during Tuesday's OTAs.

"I saw a play today where he really got angry," Frazier said. "He got pretty fired up and you kind of need that out of your defensive backs. You need them to have a little something about them. It was good to see."

Smith has plenty of competition. Frazier said he needs to see Sanford in pads and how is able to make tackles in the open field and his range in pass coverage. Raymond has had a full offseason in the team's program and surely will be better for it.

And there was the dream of potentially having two Notre Dame rookies starting together. It might happen one day, but it doesn't sound as if that day is coming soon. Blanton is still trying to make the switch from college cornerback to NFL safety. Frazier hopes he will contend for a starting spot and isn't ready to concede this as a development season for Blanton, but Frazier isn't sure when the rookie will be ready either.

"There are some things you look at and you just know will take a little bit of time, just getting accustomed to being out in space,' Frazier said. "That's different for him. When you're lined up and you have the sideline as like a 12th man. You don't have that at safety and the angles are all different. That takes time. And he's getting it, but we've got to continue to expose him to more situations and we're doing that. I think he'll get it. It's just a matter of how fast will it come. Will it be before the Jacksonville game or will it be a little bit after that?"

Will Smith be ready for Jacksonville in the season opener? Now that he's had some reps with the starters, he could be closer to taking hold of the position? Either way, he's said he won't change the way he plays.

"You've got to play like you're never going to arrive," Smith said. "No matter how good I get or what I progress to, there will always something to be better at. So, there's really no end point. It's just getting better every day."

WE TRUST V4LB!!! HE IS THE GREATEST GUY IN OUR FOURM.
WITHOUT HIM OUR FOURM WOULDNT BE EXCITING.
HE GETS ALL THE WOMEN!!!!
HE IS NEVER WRONG!!!
WE TRIED TO VOTE FOR HIM FOR PRESIDENT BUT HE IS SO GREAT THAT HE WOULDNT RUN FOR OFFICE

Carr's role for Vikings includes teaching
Now a Viking, cornerback Chris Carr started 16 games in 2010 for a highly-regarded Baltimore Ravens' defense, and brought return ability with him to Minnesota.

The approach brought Minnesota around to Chris Carr in early April to help the beleaguered secondary. Carr was coming off an injury-riddled 2011 season when he was limited to nine games, mostly because of a back injury. But Carr is an eight-year veteran, who has six career interceptions, had started 16 games in 2010 for a highly-regarded Baltimore Ravens' defense, and brought return ability with him.

Carr's one-year, $825,000 contract didn't receive much fanfare, but the Vikings are hoping Carr is the type of value addition and veteran influence that can help turn the team's fortunes.

Despite coming to a new team, which runs a different style than he is used, Carr knows he can help the Vikings, especially the young defensive backs on the roster.

"It's not only knowing the plays and how to run them, it's how do offenses try to attack you," Carr said. "When you're younger, you really don't know that. You really don't understand how to watch film. So, I think when it comes to that, and I'm already talking to a lot of the young guys, I feel like as we get going, and they've been here for a little while now, I just think it's going to be a tremendous improvement going out to this year than last season.

"Because last season, watching the tape, it wasn't so much talent. You could just tell sometimes they didn't exactly know how they were trying to attack us. They didn't have that experience."

Early on, Carr, 29, has been working with the second team corners behind starters Antoine Winfield and Chris Cook, and likely has the inside track on winning the nickel cornerback spot for the beginning of the season. But his impact now has been more about his work with his teammates than interceptions, coverage or tackling.

Winfield has been the longtime veteran leader among the Vikings' cornerbacks. Carr adds another voice and another opinion to help shape a secondary that doesn't have much experience with Cook, who has played only 12 games in his two seasons, second-year corners Brandon Burton and Marcus Sherels, rookie third-round pick Josh Robinson, and several other younger players fighting for roster spots.

"His smarts, that's the thing that jumps out at you," Frazier said. "You know getting a veteran he's going to be a guy that has a really good feel of the NFL game. But the way he's picked up some of the things that we're trying to incorporate with our defense and his leadership as well has been a big plus in the meeting rooms. He's provided something for us that we didn't know we would quite get; his leadership along with his smarts."

Carr believed he would be helping any young players in Baltimore's secondary after signing a four-year, $14 million contract last year. But after his season was marred by back and hamstring injuries, the Ravens decided to cut ties with Carr. Carr played nine games last year, starting once, and had 19 tackles and three pass deflections.

Injuries to starters gave Carr a chance to start all 16 games in 2010 and he had 61 tackles, two interceptions, eight pass deflections and four forced fumbles. He had started 10 games the previous four seasons while playing for Baltimore, the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State in 2005.

Carr saw an opportunity for playing time in Minnesota. Despite his experience, coming to the Vikings has been a transition for Carr in a new system.

"It's a lot different; in Baltimore, it's pretty much man-to-man a lot of the time," Carr said. "And here, you have man-to-man and other stuff, but you have a lot of true zone coverages. I have to really get accustomed to doing that because I wasn't used to just playing true zone. But when you come from a system where you play a lot of man-to-man, I think when you come from a system like that, it really helps you out because you're used to having to play really good technique and being on your keys to play that type of defense. So, I feel comfortable in this type of defense because it gives the corners a little bit more help here. And I think just me being used to playing man-to-man so much is going to play well here."

WE TRUST V4LB!!! HE IS THE GREATEST GUY IN OUR FOURM.
WITHOUT HIM OUR FOURM WOULDNT BE EXCITING.
HE GETS ALL THE WOMEN!!!!
HE IS NEVER WRONG!!!
WE TRIED TO VOTE FOR HIM FOR PRESIDENT BUT HE IS SO GREAT THAT HE WOULDNT RUN FOR OFFICE

Hard for Vikings to make plans at linebacker
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier admitted Tuesday that the team might have to sign additional help at linebacker.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have made wholesale changes this offseason, hitting two of their weaker positions -- receiver and cornerback -- particularly hard.

Not much thought was given to the linebacker situation. Once Erin Henderson re-signed, the starters for Minnesota's 4-3 defense seemed set. Henderson was returning to the weakside linebacker spot, joined by one of the defensive leaders Chad Greenway on the strong side. In the middle, Jasper Brinkley was fully expected to ascend to the starting spot vacated by the unsigned E.J. Henderson.

The Vikings tried to add depth with lower-level moves. They signed free-agent Marvin Mitchell and the Canadian Football League's hardest hitter award winner in Solomon Elimimian and drafted North Carolina State linebacker Audie Cole in the seventh round. Everything seemed to be set with holdovers Larry Dean and Tyrone McKenzie included in the competition.

Not so fast, according to coach Leslie Frazier.

In part due to injuries and absences in voluntary workouts, Frazier hasn't seen the linebacking unit develop like he had hoped, and the Minnesota might be on the lookout for more help at the position.

"You really need six guys you can dress on Sunday to really be effective both on defense and special teams," Frazier said Tuesday. "We're trying to find that mix, that quality depth. It's an area where we're still not quite there yet in my mind. So, we'll see how it pans out over the next few practices we have and get to training camp. But it's one of those areas where, myself and Rick (Spielman), we've talked about it and it's an area we have to keep an eye on."

One of the scenarios Frazier and Spielman, the general manager, have looked at is adding more competition on the outside. On Tuesday, Frazier confirmed the team's interest in Brian Banks, the exonerated former prep star who was wrongfully accused of rape and kidnapping and spent more than five years in jail.

Since having his conviction thrown out last month after his accuser was videotaped admitting she had lied, Banks is making his way around to NFL camps hoping to catch on. The 6-foot-2, 239-pound middle linebacker has worked out for the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers and was reported to be in Kansas City Tuesday for a tryout. He will take part in Seattle's minicamp on Wednesday and Thursday, and Frazier confirmed he could be brought to Minnesota later this week.

"I know in talking to Rick and the scouting staff, that's something we've talked about and there's a good chance that he may be coming in," Frazier said.

The depth is needed.

Greenway, signed to a five-year contract extension last preseason, has missed organized team activities while dealing with family matter. Frazier said it's possible Greenway, who is back home in South Dakota, could be out through next week's mandatory minicamp. Brinkley has been slowed by a groin injury and hasn't practiced in nearly a week. Elimimian also is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Larry Dean, undersized and without much experience in the base defense, has been filling in for Greenway with the starters. Mitchell and McKenzie have each seen time replacing Brinkley.

Missing the physical repetitions has been tough for Brinkley, who is trying to return from hip surgery and is line for his first full-time starting assignment in the NFL. He said he's keeping a pen and piece of paper handy and "staying in it mentally."

"I've got to take it for what it is," Brinkley said of his rehab. "I could still go out and do something crazy, just by not listening. So I definitely want to listen to (head athletic trainer Eric) Sugarman and them and do everything they tell me to."

Frazier said he wanted Erin Henderson to "make it clear he's the choice at the 'Will' position." Ever since Henderson signed a one-year contract to come back to Minnesota he has been expected to build on his strong finish to last season, his first as a starter. Henderson has been more vocal than usual during practices.

While Frazier seems to be searching for more, Henderson said he is taking ownership of his role as a starter and leader.

"I feel like if I don't I'd be doing everybody else around us a disservice," Henderson said. "I want to win. I think everybody on the team wants to win, too, but we've got to figure out how to do it together. If somebody doesn't kind of grab it by the horns and say, 'This is the way we're going to go. This is the way we're going to do it. This is the way we're going to be about it,' then we're just kind of shooting in the dark. You never really know how it's going to go, how it's going to turn out. So I look forward to embracing that role and coming out here and going to battle with my guys week in and week out."

Frazier just isn't sure who Henderson will be going to battle with. All of the injuries are making it tough for his coaching staff to evaluate where the team stands at the position.

"We've just got to be able to get the right 11, the best three at linebacker and that's probably our biggest dilemma right now is just identifying the right three," Frazier said. "Part of that is with Jasper being injured, you don't get a chance to really work on the combinations you want."

WE TRUST V4LB!!! HE IS THE GREATEST GUY IN OUR FOURM.
WITHOUT HIM OUR FOURM WOULDNT BE EXCITING.
HE GETS ALL THE WOMEN!!!!
HE IS NEVER WRONG!!!
WE TRIED TO VOTE FOR HIM FOR PRESIDENT BUT HE IS SO GREAT THAT HE WOULDNT RUN FOR OFFICE

Jared Allen thinks 25 sacks in a season is possible
Posted by Darin Gantt
June 19, 2012, 2:55 PM EDT

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is coming off an amazing 22-sack season.

But falling a half-sack short of Michael Strahan’s single-season record had him agonizing over the ones he didn’t get.

“Before you get that close, you’re not really sure if it’s attainable,” Allen said, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. “You think it is, because you always think if someone did it, I could do it. But being right there and actually leaving some stuff on the field — they took the one away in Green Bay, they gave it a team sack — and there were a couple in my arms that I didn’t get it.

“Or the ones that I was that close. The ones at the end of the year… It was kinda like, ‘Ah, bummed out. Now I’m 23 away again, versus one away.’ But when you start working out again, it’s motivation. How can I push myself just a little further?”

Allen said he thinks conditioning can make the difference in extending last year’s mark, and when asked how many sacks in a season are realistic, said he thought 25 was a possibility.

“I think 25 is possible,” Allen said. “I thinks someone will eventually get it. Look at some of the athletes, the DeMarcus Ware’s of the league and the matchups he creates as a 3-4 guy on a running back or something. I think it’s possible.

“Then again, no one’s ever had two 20-sack seasons in their career in the history of the NFL. So, someone’s gotta do that first. Like I said, I believe 25 is a number that will get hit one year. But when, I don’t know?”

Allen sounds motivated to get there himself, otherwise, he might have to resort to a second career in Night Ops Golf.